Automobile trunk lock



Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE` TRUNK LOCK Walter A. Summey, Bryan, Ohio Application February 27, 1948, Serial No. 11,780

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a lock positioned entirely inside the trunk of a car and entirely invisible from the exterior, the lock being adapted to be electrically-operated from the instrument board inside the car.

An object of the invention is to provide a lock of this kind which is solenoid-operated and of simple, efficient construction and operation.

Another object is to provide a lock in which the heretofore common diflculties connected with the use of exterior locks, such as inoperativeness arising out of moisture, freezing, lost keys, etc., have been obviated.

Another object is to improve the appearance of automobiles by the elimination of exterior lockoperating handles on the trunk-lid, and likewise to facilitate the cleaning and polishing of cars by such elimination.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through the locking means of this invention, the bolt and catch being shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a side view of the invention applied to the trunk lid and adjacent body portion of a car, the lid and body being shown conventionally and in cross section, the View also comprising a schematic showing of an automobile electrical circuit by which the lock is actuated.

Figure 3 is a detail fragmental View of the connection between the solenoid and the lock plunger of the invention.

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the operative association of the bolt and catch.

With detailed reference to the drawings: the lock comprises a solenoid 8 having a, housing 9, a removable top Iii, and a reduced apertured lower end SI. The housing '9 is provided with brackets I2 whereby it may be secured to the interior of ,a trunk lid I3 (Figure 2) at a point somewhat above the lower edge I4 of the lid.

Interiorly of the housing 9 a solenoid spool or Icylinder l5 is secured by upper bolts I6 and lower bolts il. A winding I8 on the spool is connected at the upper end to a circuit wire I9 proceeding to a switch 20 positioned in the car, preferably on the dash or instrument board, and from the switch to one pole of a battery 2|. At the lower end, the winding I8 is connected by 2 a similar wire to the opposite pole of the battery.

The spool I5 is hollow .and formed with a reduced lower end 25 projecting beyond the apertured lower end II of the solenoid housing. This lower end 25 of the spool is formed with a bore 26 for slidably receiving the projecting arm 21 of a solenoid plunger 28 positioned in spool I5. The outer portion of arm 2l is threaded as at 29 and, as seen in Figure 3, has an apertured, at end 30 for connection with the bolt means to be described.

Positioned below the solenoid and adjacent the lower edge I4 of the trunk lid is a bolt housing 3l having ears 32 secured to the trunk lid. Housing 3I has an apertured upper end 32 through which slidably extends the connection rod 33 of a 'bolt 34 positioned in the housing. The latter is formed with a tapered lower end 35 projecting beyond the open bottom end 36 of the bolt housing. Encircling the rod 33 in the bolt housing is an expansion spring 3l having its opposite ends bearing, respectively, against the top of bolt 34 and the inner face of upper end 32 of said housing. The spring is normally effective for yieldably maintaining the bolt in a projected -position and in engaged relation with a catch 30 secured to the body portion 39 of the car just below said edge I4 (Figures 2 and 4).

The rod 33 of the bolt, :at its outer end is bifurcated, as at 40, for receiving the iiattened end 30 of solenoid arm 21, and the bifurcation is apertured for the reception of a pin 4I which also passes through said end 30.

When the switch 20 is closed, the solenoid is energized and retracts plunger 28 upwardly, thereby disengaging the bolt from its catch.

For securing a fine adjustment of the bolt relative to the catch, the threaded 1portion 29 of solenoid arm 2'! is provided with nuts 42 which when moved upwardly, reduce the upward lift of the boltl by contacting the end 25 of the solenoid spool. When moved downwardly on said arm, said nuts permit a proportionately greater lift of the bolt before they contact the lower surface of spool end 25.

What is claimed is:

An electrically operated door lock comprising a bolt housing attachable to a door adjacent an edge of the latter and having an open end and an end wall provided with an aperture therethrough, a bolt slidable in said housing and having a. beveled end projectable from the open end of the housing to engage a xed catch, a rod secured at one end to the inner end of said bolt and extending slide-bly through said end Wall aperture, a bolt projecting expansion spring in said housing between said bolt and said housing end Wall, a solenoid cylinder having in one end a bore aligned with the opening in said bolt housing end Wall, an armature slidable in said cylinder, an arm extending from said armature slidably through said bore and pivotally connected at its end remote from said armature to the end of said rod remote from said bolt, a solenoid Winding on the outside of said cylinder, a solenoid housing surrounding said winding and secured to said cylinder, and a bracket secured to said solenoid housing for attaching said solenoid to a. door.

WALTER A. SUMMEY;

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

Number l5 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Immel Nov. 7, 1893 Hill June 8, 1926 Kelly Mar. 3l, 1936 Adams May 19, 1936 Wilson May 16, 1939 Plueckhahn June 13, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Countryf Date Germany May 28, 1941 

